Will the Thrill: HOF?

June 28, 2017

The man himself, later.

Saget pays tribute to Will Clark this week as he attempts to emulate the man — by kicking the shit out of Jose Oquendo. Long a member of the Hall of the Very Good, the question becomes for Clark… Hall of Fame?

By surface stats, he never had a shot: 2176 H, 284 HR, 67 SB.

OK let’s make the case:

He hit .303 for his career

Career OPS .880

6x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, 1x Gold Glove

Career WAR of 56.2. There are 20 1B in the HOF, who average 66.4. Clark below average, but not out of the discussion.

7-year peak WAR of 35.9 (5+ in any season is all-star material)

Clark retired after his age-36 season. What did he do that year? .319, 21 HR, 5 SB, .964 OPS. To say he could have kept going is an understatement.

Clark played out West mostly, and never in a huge market. Four more years of counting stats, preferably as a DH in New York or Boston, and I think he’s in for sure.

I love Kirby Puckett and have no problem with him in the HOF. If Kirby’s in, isn’t Will in? (Or for that matter, my boy, Jim Edmonds?)